Adjacent Words

byword definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a condensed but memorable saying embodying some important fact of experience that is taken as true by many people [syn: proverb, adage, saw, byword]

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: before 12th century 1. a proverbial saying ; proverb 2. a. one that personifies a type b. one that is noteworthy or notorious 3. epithet 4. a frequently used word or phrase

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a person or thing cited as a notable example (is a byword for luxury). 2 a familiar saying; a proverb.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Byword By"word`, n. [AS. b["i]word; b["i], E. by + word.] 1. A common saying; a proverb; a saying that has a general currency. I knew a wise man that had it for a byword. --Bacon. 2. The object of a contemptuous saying. Thou makest us a byword among the heathen. --Ps. xliv. 14

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(bywords) 1. Someone or something that is a byword for a particular quality is well known for having that quality. ...the Rolls-Royce brand name, a byword for quality. N-COUNT: N for n 2. A byword is a word or phrase which people often use. Loyalty and support became the bywords of the day. N-COUNT

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

bi'-wurd: shammah = "consternation," "astonishment," "waste," "wonderful language," "object of remark" (De 28:37; 1Ki 9:7; 2Ch 7:20); mashal, or meshol = "a satire," "byword" (Job 17:6; Ps 44:14); millah, or milleh = "a topic," "object of talk," "byword" (Job 30:9).

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Saying, saw, maxim, adage, proverb, aphorism, apothegm, dictum, sententious precept. 2. Object of contempt, mark for scorn. 3. Slang, cant term.

Moby Thesaurus

adage, ana, analects, aphorism, apophthegm, apothegm, appellation, appellative, axiom, binomen, binomial name, burning shame, butt, byname, byword of reproach, catch phrase, catchword, cliche, cognomen, collected sayings, cry, cryptonym, current saying, denomination, derision, designation, dictate, dictum, dirty shame, disgrace, distich, dupe, empty title, epigram, epithet, eponym, euonym, expression, fad word, fair game, figure of fun, fool, game, gazingstock, gnome, goat, golden saying, handle, honorific, humiliation, hyponym, jest, jestingstock, joke, label, laughingstock, low-down dirty shame, maxim, mockery, moniker, monkey, moral, mot, motto, name, namesake, nomen, nomen nudum, oracle, parable, pet expression, phrase, pithy saying, precept, prescript, proper name, proper noun, proverb, proverbial saying, proverbs, reproach, saw, saying, scandal, scientific name, secret name, sentence, sententious expression, shame, shibboleth, slogan, sloka, sobriquet, stock, stock saying, style, sutra, tag, target, tautonym, teaching, text, title, toy, trinomen, trinomial name, verse, victim, vogue word, watchword, wisdom, wisdom literature, wise saying, witticism, word, words of wisdom